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bergdalea
Abbie J. Bergdale

Feb 7, 2010, 3:20 PM

Post #6051 of 6267 (11321 views)
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Re: [WanderingTree] MFA Blog	Can't Post

That's true!! But, it is a different type of attitude for whatever reason. I like it.

OldScribe2000

Feb 7, 2010, 6:30 PM

Post #6052 of 6267 (11268 views)
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Re: [sonshineslocs] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet???	Can't Post

I work and study at one of the schools some of you may have applied to. I spoke to one of the members of the MFA program (fiction) on Friday, and she told me they had approximately 200 applicants for five empty slots. That's about a 2.5% average chance of acceptance. She said said they had finished reading, and most of the stories, surprisingly, were strong. Apparently, all of the MFA applicants are following the advice to pour everything they've got into the writing sample.

She also said they don't allow grad students access to the application materials. They worry that the grad students might try and help any friends who've applied to the program, so the instructors work with the English Department staff only. I know it sounds terrible, that a student pursuing a master's or Ph.D. could be guilty of such unprofessional conduct, but I know FOR A FACT such favoritism goes on inside some of these MFA programs' literary journals. Buddy systems cannot be broken. Deal with it.

Anyway, I expect to hear back on all of my applications March 1-14. Best of luck to all of you.

__________

Feb 7, 2010, 7:12 PM

Post #6053 of 6267 (11240 views)
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Re: [OldScribe2000] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet???	Can't Post

Of course. Read the contributor's notes of any university journal. If you know where the editor, etc. went to grad school, the details often match up. (I first noticed this when my college writing instructor -- who is actually a great writer -- kept getting published only by those he went to grad school with. DOES NOT BODE WELL!)

six five four three two one 0 ->

lily_lee

Feb 7, 2010, 7:34 PM

Post #6054 of 6267 (11222 views)
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Re: [Junior Maas] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet???	Can't Post

I have a depressing (at this stage of the game) but no doubt pertinent question - does anyone know if, if you reapply, any programs keep on file last year's LOR's so you can re-use them for your new application?

Or do they require all new LOR's?

The reason why I applied to so few programs this year was that getting my recommenders to do LOR shenanigans for more than a few programs was never gonna happen. They balked at more than a handful, but they're the only recommenders I've got. If I could use the same ones (the same letters, from this year)* for programs I'm reapplying to next year (unless I actually get in somewhere, which is looking doubtful at the moment), then that would be good news.

Thanks!

*edited for clarity.

(This post was edited by lily_lee on Feb 7, 2010, 7:38 PM)

bergdalea
Abbie J. Bergdale

Feb 7, 2010, 7:57 PM

Post #6055 of 6267 (11201 views)
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Re: [lily_lee] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet???	Can't Post

I will tell you that I know for sure Colorado State will allow you to use your previous year's LOR's. I chose not to, but it was definitely an option for me. I'm sure a lot of programs would feel the same way. I suggest contacting them individually to ask if that is acceptable practice per their institution or if they prefer to have spankin new LORs.

orthetiger

Feb 7, 2010, 9:32 PM

Post #6056 of 6267 (11153 views)
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Re: [OldScribe2000] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet???	Can't Post

Thanks for the info, Oldscribe. Any chance that you're able to tell us which school this is?

bighark

Feb 7, 2010, 10:44 PM

Post #6057 of 6267 (11092 views)
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Re: [lily_lee] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet???	Can't Post

Some programs do retain all their application information each year, and others don't. Some places may even let you skip the application fee on the second try. You'd have to ask each of your programs about their policies to know for sure, though.

I hope you get in to the school of your choice, but if that doesn't work out, I suggest using a dossier service for next year. Because your letter writers seem to give you so much grief, you can have them write one letter one time and then have the service work for you after that.

I like Interfolio, but there are others out there. You can even check with your alma mater's career services department to see if you have access to free or reduced cost dossier service as a alumnus.

Good luck.

OldScribe2000

Feb 8, 2010, 1:06 AM

Post #6058 of 6267 (11035 views)
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Re: [lily_lee] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet???	Can't Post

Letters of Recommendation are no joke. I had to use one from my employer, the other two from creative writing instructors. We don't have a lot of writing teachers here (the school is poor), and the university depends a lot on graduate teaching assistants (the school is poor), so it's hard to get letters for grad school.

Not to mention, my teachers aren't so tech savvy and didn't like the idea of submitting anything electronically. This made things even more difficult.

lily_lee

Feb 8, 2010, 10:08 AM

Post #6059 of 6267 (10950 views)
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Re: [OldScribe2000] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet???	Can't Post

Thank you everyone! Your advice is much appreciated, and your related woes much understood.

Interfolio does sound good. And I'll be getting in touch with individual schools themselves to ask if things don't work out this time round. It would definitely boost my chances if I didn't have to get recommenders to resubmit, so fingers crossed.

Thanks!

emilychristine
Emily Sims

Feb 8, 2010, 11:06 AM

Post #6060 of 6267 (10905 views)
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Re: [lily_lee] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet???	Can't Post

Has anyone heard anything about the University of Illinois Urbana-Champagne in fiction? I know they've notified in poetry, but I've not heard anything for fiction...

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WanderingTree

Feb 8, 2010, 1:34 PM

Post #6061 of 6267 (10814 views)
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Re: [emcsims] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet???	Can't Post

I suspect we'll hear from Illinois within the next couple of weeks. According to TSE 1/30-2/20 are the historical response times for fiction.

ashleyke

Feb 10, 2010, 9:11 AM

Post #6062 of 6267 (10487 views)
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Re: [WanderingTree] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet???	Can't Post

Hey friends!

I just recently found the MFA blog, so I agree with earlier sentiments that this feels calmer to me. Regardless of why, I appreciate it!

I had a little jump-start to the heart today when I saw I had an email from UNCG regarding an Open House for graduate students. I saw who it was from before I saw the subject. They invite everyone to these things, right? Not just those who are accepted...? Just curious and trying to nip my silly brain.

Hope everyone is doing well!

kbritten

Feb 10, 2010, 9:14 AM

Post #6063 of 6267 (10482 views)
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Re: [WanderingTree] MFA Blog	Can't Post

Hi Ashley, I got all excited about that too, but it looks like everyone got it. I think it's sent to all who have applied to the graduate school. Got my hopes up. Bummer :(

kealamak

Feb 10, 2010, 9:19 AM

Post #6064 of 6267 (10478 views)
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Re: [kbritten] MFA Blog	Can't Post

I got it too. Bummer. I was hoping it meant something. Although the open house seems a little ominous. 20 slots to be reserved. You register for one of the dates and they get back to you a few days later with directions. Sounds more like a rave than an open house to me.

SevenFreckles

Feb 10, 2010, 8:47 PM

Post #6065 of 6267 (10268 views)
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Re: [kealamak] MFA Blog	Can't Post

I don't know if this is helpful, but I'm pretty sure that they're still a ways off with making decisions at uncg. Those things from the grad school are kind of horrible and don't have anything to do with the mfa program's decisions. Also, the process here is a slow one and things seem to happen in little waves rather than all at once-- or at least that's what I observed last year. Good luck to everyone!

Spanielmander

Feb 11, 2010, 10:58 PM

Post #6066 of 6267 (10101 views)
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Re: [franz] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet???	Can't Post

So. UC Irvine's application deadline was December 1, a full month before any of my other schools. Yet in scouring posts from previous years, I've noticed that people don't seem to hear from Irvine until mid to late March, much later than many other programs.

What gives?

Did Irvine move up their application deadline this year? Or are they simply evil, or lazy, or some combination? I'm trying to think of a reason why, strategically, it would be smart to notify late, but I can't think of any scenario in which that would make sense. Early bird gets the worm, strike while the iron's hot, and other maxims, right?

Little help?

orthetiger

Feb 13, 2010, 3:34 PM

Post #6067 of 6267 (9864 views)
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Re: [Spanielmander] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet???	Can't Post

Well, it's still so early when it really comes down to it. Only 3 of my 14 schools have notified. It feels more hopeless than it is! I've still got a shot. And so do you!

(This post was edited by orthetiger on Feb 13, 2010, 3:35 PM)

edamame40
Ray O

Feb 13, 2010, 4:06 PM

Post #6068 of 6267 (9842 views)
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Re: [Spanielmander] The Waiting Game...Have you heard yet???	Can't Post

@ Spanielmander: All I can guess, having some familiarity with the UC (not Irvine specifically), is that due to budget cuts amidst the overall fiscal shitstorm in CA, they might have less overall administrative support in Irvine's MFA Dept than in other schools -- more work overall for the faculty admissions committee. That's just a guess though!

rebarusset

Feb 13, 2010, 5:29 PM

Post #6069 of 6267 (9769 views)
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UNCW	Can't Post

I hate to be the otherwise thickheaded candidate-wannabe who asks questions about programs that have yet to do anything suspicious or unsettling or worthy of concern or comment ... but, my interest is piqued:

Does anyone know what's going on with UNC Wilmington? Yes, yes -- historically, it's most definitely notified folks by now ... and yes, yes -- this year is going to be different merely because of applicant volume. We're going to have to be patient because .... blah blah blah ...

But somewhere in my head I accidentally hardwired UNCW as a place that SHOULD have made a peep by now. But nothing. And I'm starting to get nervous/curious, etc ...

Any rumors? Gossip? Throw me a bone. This program is like a ghost ship to me now -- disembodied, looming.

Yeesh.

Spanielmander

Feb 13, 2010, 6:18 PM

Post #6070 of 6267 (9738 views)
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Re: [rebarusset] UNCW	Can't Post

Ha, exactly like me... you do your searching of a program's past notification dates, and what else can you do? Well, you can post a nervous post! And then you can reply to other nervous posts.

It's kind of ridiculous that I have gone this far, and gotten this far gone... I only applied to Irvine, just Irvine, because I changed my mind at the last minute and was sure my samples weren't strong enough, but Irvine makes you get everything in by December 1st.

Of course now I'm thinking my samples are pretty good and I've got a shot. Which is really annoying.

Would it be really bad form to call the administrator at the program and ask where the process is? I called once before, got right though, and she was very helpful. Do administrators tend to "lose" the files of people who bother them?

emilychristine
Emily Sims

Feb 13, 2010, 9:00 PM

Post #6071 of 6267 (9656 views)
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Re: [Spanielmander] UNCW	Can't Post

@Spanielmander

I say call... because I applied there, too... and I'm too timid to make the call myself!!!!!!!!!!!

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paligal

Feb 13, 2010, 11:11 PM

Post #6072 of 6267 (9606 views)
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Re: [Spanielmander] UNCW	Can't Post

Hi. I'm a newbie here, just getting hooked into the waiting game for the first time. I'm really curious about UNCW too. I hadn't realized that the schools were starting to notify until I got acceptances from UC Riverside and University of Iowa (WHAT??? Still stunned...) in Creative Nonfiction by phone message yesterday. I also received a letter saying I was waitlisted for Ohio State. I haven't heard from any of my other schools, including UNCW. With the Iowa acceptance, these will likely be icing on the cake, depending on what kind of aid package they are going to offer me. the general consensus is that I would be nuts to pass up Iowa for one of the others. Trying to shift my thinking, because I really didn't consider that I would actually get in to Iowa, and had been dreaming happily of living in one of these other, much more appealing cities. Now, gulp, it looks like Iowa City may be my home for the next three years.

But, now that I realize that they are starting to notify, does anyone know if any of the following started notifying, and if so, if they are calling or mailing?

Oregon State
Portland State
U of Montana
UNCW
Notre Dame
U of Georgia

Cheers, and good luck to everyone! I know what a process this has been, the crazy hoops I have jumped through for months on these applications. So here's to everyone getting in somewhere! I see people assuming that if they got rejected from a less desirable school, then they assumed they were rejected from higher tier schools, and clearly my story shows that is not true. Waitlisted at Ohio, but accepted at Iowa so far, and Iowa is ranked higher. So I think it's good to realize that a rejection doesn't necessarily mean anything in terms of the other applications.

JohnGradyCole

Feb 14, 2010, 11:06 AM

Post #6073 of 6267 (9533 views)
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Re: [rebarusset] UNCW	Can't Post

Two weeks ago, UNCW sent me a confirmation email indicating that they'd received all of my application materials. Curious, I thought, seeing as their deadline had passed a month ago. So I - reasonable, even-tempered person that I am - became suddenly consumed with the notion that my application was received in an untimely manner, and I sent UNCW a slightly panicked email which basically asked for a confirmation of their confirmation. Yeah, I know.

But! They emailed me back right away (!) and told me that they're winding down their review process within the next couple of weeks. Since two weeks have passed since they emailed me, I'd imagine that offers can't be far away. I doubt that eases your mind, rebarusset, but I hope it puts things into perspective!

Also, because I am a masochist, I've been creeping around Wilmington and its surrounding area on Google Earth. Beautiful. Cartoonishly beautiful. Beautiful to the point of obscenity. I did a lot of homework on the UNCW program during the application process, and though there are some more highly regarded fiction programs to which I applied, none of them seem to fit my personal MFA ideal as well as UNCW's. The structure, the size, the background of the faculty, everything. And for a program like that to be located in such a part of America? Man. I'd be happy and humbled to get accepted to any of my twelve prospective programs, but UNCW's is filed under "burst into tears upon notification of funded acceptance."

Spanielmander

Feb 14, 2010, 11:21 AM

Post #6074 of 6267 (9525 views)
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Re: [emcsims] UNCW	Can't Post

@emcsims

If that's a dare, you're on. I'll call on tuesday.

rebarusset

Feb 14, 2010, 3:18 PM

Post #6075 of 6267 (9432 views)
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Re: [JohnGradyCole] UNCW	Can't Post

JGC,

Your information re: correspondence with UNCW was RIDICULOUSLY helpful, and I mean that :)

Your treatise on Wilmington's beauty was NOT helpful, for fear of tear-bursting upon rejection, etc.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and toss up the latter info as opportunity cost for the former.

You're thanked. You are forgiven.

But mostly, you're very appreciated :)

(This post was edited by rebarusset on Feb 14, 2010, 3:22 PM)

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